April 22, 1999 marks the 29th anniversary of the first Earth
Day. Originally called the "First Environmental Teach-in,"
Earth Day was modeled after the anti-Vietnam War teach-ins of
the late 1960s. An estimated 20 million Americans participated
in environmental rallies, demonstrations and other activities
on that first Earth Day. Former Senator Gaylord Nelson (D-WI)
was the chief organizer of the event. In addition, Nelson recruited
Denis Hayes, at the time a recent graduate of Stanford University,
to assist in organizing the nationwide Earth Day activities. Recalled
Nelson in an October 1990 speech: "...[T]he idea for Earth
Day occurred to me in late July 1969, while on a conservation
speaking tour out West. At the time there was a great deal of
turmoil on the college campuses over the Vietnam War. Protests,
called anti-war teach-ins, were being widely held on campuses
across the nation. I read an article on the teach-ins, and it
suddenly occurred to me, why not have a nationwide teach-in on
the environment? That was the origin of Earth Day."